JAKARTA — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has expressed outrage over alleged misconduct within the government’s Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, saying that “many infiltrators have become thieves” by exploiting the initiative for personal gain.
Prabowo stressed that the MBG program, one of his administration’s flagship social welfare initiatives, will continue despite the discovery of irregularities. He emphasized that the program is intended to improve children’s nutrition and must not be undermined by corruption or misuse of public funds.
The president called for stricter supervision and stronger law enforcement to ensure that every rupiah allocated to the program reaches its intended beneficiaries. He warned that individuals found stealing or misappropriating funds from the program would face firm legal action.
Prabowo acknowledged that cases of abuse had emerged but insisted they should serve as a reason to strengthen governance rather than halt the program. According to him, the government’s priority is to improve accountability while safeguarding the program’s mission of enhancing the nutritional well-being of Indonesian children.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to prevent future abuses and ensure the successful implementation of the nationwide nutrition program.
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